Smart Parking Meter Strategies
Money Saving Tips & Tricks For Surviving Chicago’s New Meter Rates
With the parking meter lease deal finalized, and the rates of parking meters being increased meter by meter and neighborhood by neighborhood, Chicago drivers need to employ some smart strategies for adapting to higher rates and increased enforcement.
Here are some smart parking strategies that will help you survive these higher meter rates in the midst of a recessionary economy.
Piggybacking
Keep an eye out for meters which still have time remaining.
Piggybacking on someone else’s quarter or quarters is always a great way to save money.
While not all meters are the same, most meters with time remaining, do not exhibit a flashing readout. You should be able to tell from your car if the meter is flashing or not. So if you have your pick of meters, of course, pick the one with time still on the meter.
Broken Meters
A broken parking meter is a thing of beauty.
Inoperable meters are, by far, the best parking spots you can find.
Broken meters don’t have to be fed and you can’t be ticketed for parking at one. Finding a broken parking meter is like stumbling upon a $5 on the street, or finding some cash in a jacket pocket you haven’t worn since last Spring. Finding a broken meter to park at is a gem of serendipity that can make your day.
Busted meters are a bit harder to spot while driving as a dead meter exhibits no readout, while an inoperable meter will flash either FAIL and/or OUT OF ORDER. But up close, it’s quite apparent when a meter is not working.
If you park in the same area regularly, locate the broken ones and make a habit of snagging those spots.
Unfortunately, while currently, there seems to be a dearth of inoperable meters on the streets of Chicago, the new lessee has all the motivation in the world to keep their new toys working all the time.
Creative Parking
Seek out parking spots on streets which are generally metered…that don’t have a meter.
These spots are more numerous than you think. I come across areas that have meters on one side of the street, but not the other. Or streets that have meters for the majority of the street, but not at the very end.
You just have to train yourself to keep an eye out for these perfectly legal spots that are meter-less and therefore cost nothing and have no time restriction.
Of course, these spots are always the most in demand.
Side Streets
Higher meter rates are inevitably going to push people from meters onto nearby side streets. It only makes economic sense that people will always see the least costly alternative. Parking on non-metered side streets is free, which is infinitely cheaper than parking at a meter.
The main barrier to side street parking is the potential of facing residential permit parking. Look out for any signs that restrict your ability to park on a neighborhood side street. Being ticketed for a residential parking violation is more??? costly than an expired meter ticket.
But, parking a block or two away from where you need to work or shop for a few hours is going to be worth the walk, especially if you can save a few bucks.
Public Transit
Perhaps, if the new, higher parking meter rates make it too expensive to drive, and public transportation is a viable alternative, perhaps the CTA is a way to go.
Parking Garages & Lots
Downtown, the option of parking garages or lots vs. metered parking becomes a matter of simple cost/benefit analysis.
For example, parking for just an hour at a meter is only $3.50, less than what most garages or lots would charge. But, four hours of metered parking is $14.00 and perhaps a lot or garage is a less expensive option. At some point, garages and lots become the more affordable alternative.
Drive Elsewhere
I have heard rumors of places that have free parking and much lower sales taxes. In whispers, people call them “the suburbs.”
In the suburbs, they don’t have 10.25% sales taxes or $3.50 an hour parking meters. Vote with your feet, your tires and your dollars. Spend your money outside the city, outside the county, out of the grasp of Mayor Daley and Todd Stroger.
There are plenty of towns and businesses that appreciate your money so much, they make it cheap, easy and convenient to do business with them.
Consider taking them off on their offer.
Feed The Beast
Please, if you do have to park at a meter, make sure you feed it properly.
Keep lots of quarters in your vehicle at all times.
Make sure you pay attention to the time and return to your car before times runs out or to recharge your meter. A $50 ticket is something everyone can do without.
Like our pal Ticketmaster says, “25 cents will save you $50.”
True wisdom friends. True wisdom.
Geek Editor’s Note: Millennium Park Garage photo courtesy of Chicago-Photo.com.
“25 cents will save you $50″
Yeah, and a 3-pack of super glue only costs $3 at Walgreens. Even with 10.25% sales tax, the satisfaction of knowing you’ve done your part in the guerilla war against Supreme overlord Daley and his lackey rubber stamps in the city council is priceless.
Yes, drive somewhere else. I do 90 percent of my shopping when I visit relatives 70 miles away. Plenty of free parking in big parking lots. Anyplace with meters, they don’t short me on the time. And even if got a parking ticket, its only $10. Back home, sales tax is low and those communities make it easy to shop there.
Suburbs would be smart to offer free parking on Saturdays or Sundays and advertise to attract fed up Chicago motorists.
Driving around city neighborhoods, I notice that plenty of metered spaces are available, that means less people are parking and shopping there. Bad news for small business here.
Very well put Bill.
I agree, if I ran a suburb close to Chicago and outside of Cook County, I would be advertising the heck out of the lower sales tax and free (or super cheap) parking.
Be careful the broken meters now display a no parking sign. P with a slash thru it. You can and will get a ticket here. See the pic above.
Totally agreed! As a native “Chicagoan-turned-Auroranite”, I chose to venture out and protest my dollars in the ‘burbs. And like some noted, it makes the most sense when you visit relatives, friends, etc. And plan those trips to make them worthwhile. Downers Grove, Oak Brook, Naperville, Schaumburg, etc. are all within reasonable limits.
Jules is right. Don’t look at those broken meter spots as money-savers.
You can actually receive a ticket if you park at t a meter that displays, “FAIL”. The city rep explained that since the meter displayed that it does not work, that you “knowingly” parked at a broken meter and are taking away from city revenue. Can’t you contest this???
Janey-
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!!!
Again, dimwits for the city telling you the incorrect information. You cannot, I repeat, CANNOT be legally ticketed for parking at a broken meter.
The city’s own Dept. of Revenue website lists a valid defense for a parking meter violation as an “inoperable meter.”
You can easily contest and win this as long as you provide photos and report the meter to the city.
Parking at a broken parking meter is free parking.
However, you can only stay at the meter for two hours–otherwise you can be ticketed for “overstay.”
However, this is rarely enforced.
Another thing…
I challenge anyone to cite me the law within Chicago’s municipal code that states a motorist cannot park at a broken meter.
No one can, because it doesn’t exist.
Thing is, they are ticketing people who have parked at meters and there’s money left on the meter. My wife notices this all the time: whole rows of cars ticketed on unexpired meters. So you better believe they will ticket a car at a broken meter.
The meters in the photos are Duncan (yes the yoyo Duncan) Brand meters – model Eagle 2100 or CK
http://www.duncanindustries.com/index.htm.
Duncan recommend maintenance as follows:
“The frequency of the maintenance required to maintain timer accuracy depends upon the ambient environmental conditions and the amount of use received by the meter. In the best of cases, the timer should be cleaned and adjusted at least every 2 years. In severe environments of dust and/or humidity, semiannual maintenance may be required.(6 months)”
Challenege the ticket in court and ask the ticketing company to prouce their maintenance records for the meter in question, in accordance with Manufacturers specifications. They can’t because they dont. Parking ticket – *poof* it evaporates. Secondly, if the maintenance defence doesn’t work, use the “Please provide the current calibration certificate” defence. Either one will see the ticket either waived, or the judge cancelleing the enforcement, because it is TOO EXPENSIVE for the ticketing company to maintain their tens of thousands of meters in accordance with manufacterers specifications. It is also too expensive for them to calibrate each meter in accordance with state law. Much cheaper to waive individual fines.
I remember when I lived in Baltimore in the 90′s the meter maids would ticket cars that had 2-3 minutes left on their meters. That would absolutely infuriate me, but you could be ticketed, or arrested, if you fed someone else’s meter that was about to expire. Sick to the core.
Hey Parking Ticket Geek, the Easy Button:
9-64-190 Parking meter zones – Regulations.
….. It is not a violation of this section to park a vehicle at a zone or space served by a meter that does not function properly, provided that the meter is inoperable or malfunctioning through no fault of the vehicle’s operator.
http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Illinois/chicago_il/municipalcodeofchicago?f=templates$fn=default.htm$3.0$vid=amlegal:chicago_il
Have a nice day.
Report every meter as broken even if you feed it. They’ll be chasing their tails going looking for the broken meters.
last time i was in Brazil, i stocked up on the quarter size cruzero coins… they cost about 1 penny a piece and i am told that they act just like a quarter for parking meter needs. So find a brazilian friend and stock up.
Or you can just vandalize the meter when no one is looking. F— Dickie Daley and LAZ parking. Nothing brings a smile to my face as quickly as seeing a vandalized meter! Kep up the good work boys!
[...] meters. The city pays to repair them I am told. As to the “rumor” of a boycott, read this blog posts comments section. It’s no rumor. Corporate media, what can we expect from them!? [...]
You see the little “p” with a slash though it on the FAIL meter? That means NO PARKING. YOU WILL GET A TICKET FOR PARKING AT A METER WITH THIS DISPLAY.
Sorry Dan-
That’s not true. The Chicago municipal code says otherwise.
Seems like there are definetly 2 camps on this failed meter with the flashing P in the circle with the slash in it. Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t that symbol taken on it’s own mean no parking?
And while I acknowledge that it might not be against the law I remember 2 years ago (well before this outsourcing and when city employees, whom you would think would know the law at least a little better than a private firm) wrote the tickets.
Anyhow at that time I used to look for these freebies also, and 1 day as I pulled in (it always seemed that other drivers avoided these spots which puzzled me) a meter maid said she would ticket me if I left it there. She was quite adament that the flashing no Parking symbol meant, and she claimed the law backed her up. Since I didn’t need the hassle of having to fight a ticket I left the spot.
Would be nice to get a definitive answer from someone high up, published that we could print out.
Of course there is still the hassle of having to fight it. I say let’s just vote Daley out for revenge.
Listen everyone, why doesn’t anyone want to believe me, IT IS ABSOLUTELY LEGAL TO PARK AT A BROKEN METER!!!!!
Here is the municipal code.
9-64-190 Parking meter zones – Regulations.
…..It is not a
violation of this section to park a vehicle at a zone or space served by
a meter that does not function properly, provided that the meter is
inoperable or malfunctioning through no fault of the vehicle’s
operator.
I am currently looking into making flyers to pass out, and stickers to post on broken meters that state the regulations plain and simple for ALL to see: motorists, meter maids, Chicago Police, and LAZ employees alike. And while the flyers would contain no suggestion of vandelism whatsoever, anyone reading them would smile and immediatly think of ways to join the “Chicago Tea Party”.
Also, we seem to have won at least a battle. Keep it up folks!
http://www.aldermanshiller.com/content/view/594/30/
But you didn’t quote the rest of this regulation, which I think is important.
It is not a
violation of this section to park a vehicle at a zone or space served by a meter that does not
function properiy, provided that the meter is inoperable or malfunctioning through no fault
of the vehicle’s operator; and the vehicle’s operator reports the meter, in compliance with
the posted directions on the meter as inoperable or malfunctioning within 24 hours of
parking the vehicle in the parking meter zone or space served bv the inoperable or
malfunctioning meter.
Adam-
I agree with you in principle, but when I wrote this post back in February, the municipal code was different. The municipal was just recently changed, adding the part about the “reporting within 24 hours”. I’m actually preparing a post about that tidbit soon.
Profession Comment From Little olde me.
Revenue is NOT allowed Per 9-64-190 to issue for a broken meter. PERIOD…and I know that Lady PEA and TIcketmaster will agree.
BUT:
The City Traffic Aide do if they are broken AND Display the No Parking P in the digital display.
The Cops will also…because they don’t get out of their cars and LOOK at the Front of the meter.
If you get a ticket while Parked on a broken meter…make sure its For Expired Meter, and Contest it.
If its for anything else…well….get that issue taken care of.